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Is That You Lord?: Hearing the Voice of the Lord, a Biblical Perspective

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The main thrust of this book can best be summed up by Pastor Gilley himself: "That God is at work behind the scenes, leading and directing our lives, is not the question, in this all conservative Christians agree. The question is whether the Bible teaches that God has specific will(s) for each of us - specific choices he wants us to make on all sorts of things - and whether these will(s) must be discerned through various extra-biblical means. I believe, contrary to the majority of Christians, that the answer to these questions is a clear `no'." (p. 37)

As Gilley notes, more and more Christians, regardless of denomination, etc are coming to believe that "the will of God can be ascertained through divinely prompted feelings, hunches, impressions or dreams. If these fail we can turn to fleeces, fastings, flipping coins or opening the Bible randomly and following the first verse that makes sense." (pp. 35-36) Is this how God says we are to discern His will? Are these biblical methods?

Gilley does an excellent job in addressing this question, especially in a book of only 92 pages. He begins with a short chapter the early Pietists (Arndt, Spener, Francke, and Zinzendorf), what they believed, and how their teachings paved the way for subjectivity and theological liberalism. Gilley maintains that although their goal was proper exegesis and a higher regard for the Bible, they slowly allowed subjectivity and experience to become more authoritative.

The author notes that a recent study shows that "one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly." Gilley also sites the author Henry Blackaby, a proponent of extra-biblical revelation. Gilley notes that the Bible does not portray people hearing from God inside their heads and then have to go through the discernment of whether or not it was really God or even partially God. When people in the Bible heard from God it was loud, audible and there was no doubt about it. (With the single exception of young Samuel who didn't realize it was the Lord - nevertheless, the priest heard it, so it was not within Samuel's head.) "The evangelistic method of Jesus and the apostles was not to urge people to seek direct experiences with God; instead they went about preaching and teaching the Scriptures."(p. 27)

Gilley looks at how the term "the will of God" is used in three distinct ways. 1. The "sovereign will of God in which it is recognized that our Lord is in control of all things in the universe. Ephesians 1:11..." 2. The "revealed will of God which makes known to us how God expects us to live." For example 1 Thess 4:1-4, or His command to love Him and our neighbor. The Bible clearly teaches both of these. It's the third, the "specific or individual" will of God, by which some believe that God has an "ideal, detailed life-plan uniquely designed for each believer," (p.36) that we must discover, that Gilley is most concerned with in this book.

Throughout the rest of the book, Gilley puts forth an excellent argument through the study of scripture, why we have freedom to choose courses of action as long as they are made biblically. One great example is in 1 Corinthians 7 where the apostle Paul is "dealing with one of the most important decisions in life - marriage. What a perfect opportunity to lay out the steps for discernment of the specific will of God. Instead the Holy Spirit-inspired apostle, after some advice pertinent to the current situation, leaves the decision as to whether one should marry to the individual believer (v.8-9, 20-21)." (p.40-41) Examples from Paul's own decision making are also noted.

Pastor Gilley discusses some often quoted verses on this subject - Kings 19, Romans 8:14 & 16, Psalm 37:4, Phil 4:4-7 coupled with Col 3:15, Proverbs 3:5-6, John 16:12-14, among them. Chapter Six is a thoughtful list of common questions and answers. Chapter Seven surveys the instances in which God speaks to someone in the Bible, and Chapter Eight gives us further insight into God's revealed will and practical steps for biblical decision making.

In the end, Gilley tells us that we have the freedom to choose between biblically acceptable alternatives. Decision making should always begin with Scripture. We need to pray for wisdom (James 1:5-8), and seek wise counsel (Proverbs 12:15, 13:10, 15:22, 20:18). (pp.56-57) Let's not be taken captive through worldly philosophy and empty deception (Col 2:8-15). Pastor Gilley reminds us that 2 Peter 1:3 tells us that "He [God] has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him..." Life and godliness can only be obtained "through the true knowledge of Christ, which is found only in the Word. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)...Why search beyond the Scriptures for the things that God says the Scriptures alone supply?"(pp. 90-91).

A friend of mine thinks that Gary Gilley has gone too far in the opposite direction of mysticism, minimizing God's participation in our lives. I don't believe Gilley meant to handcuff God. He states in the introduction that he is not a deist. He believes God is alive and active in this world. He just doesn't think we should try to discern His will through hunches, feeling etc. For example, God may open a door (opportunity) for you to serve Him. God can do anything. On the other hand, just because a door opens up to do something, doesn't necessarily mean it is from God. Some open doors lead to elevator shafts! (My example, not Gilley's.) Buy the book. It's only 92 pages and it will give you a great framework with which you can think and discuss this important subject, whether you agree with the author or not.

Gilley presents a wonderful case against the pietistic Christian mysticism that so characterizes conservative/fundamental evangelicalism. We "lay out the fleece", pray for peace, seek God's direction, look for "open doors", and wrestle over the daily will of God. Yet Gilley points out how this actually diminishes the power and authority of God's revealed and written Word which is sufficient for all of life and godliness.

The book is brief and easy to read. As such, he does not spend pages going into deep details, so one must have some prior experience to appreciate this book fully. He presupposes salvation on the part of the reader and at least a cursory knowledge of Christianity, its verbiage, and practices.

While he deals devastating blows to the Charismatic/pentecostal view of revelation, his primary purpose is to expose the very same spirit in conservative circles. Read and heed this important book.

The phrase "biblically sound" pretty much covers it. This should be mandatory reading for EVERY born again Christian. Thank you Mr Gilley!!!

If you love reading bland books with which almost all Christians agree, then Gary Gilley's "Is That You Lord?" is not for you. Gilley takes our commonly-held beliefs about seeking God's direction--such as those advocated by Henry Blackaby--and subjects them to the biblical test. His controversial conclusions will almost certainly shock you. You might even have hard feelings. But, for sure, Gilley is going to make you rethink some things you've probably just assumed were true and he'll help you to see how they fail to measure up to the Bible's teaching on how God leads his people. For example, Gilley carefully points out that, in Scripture, we have no record of God leading people through feelings or promptings, nor did anyone ever need to learn to "hear the voice of God". Never are we instructed to seek the voice of God.

Thankfully, the author doesn't just shatter our beliefs and then drop us in a sea of uncertainty; he replaces bad teaching with good. With no command from the Bible for the Christian to attempt to listen to God's voice, Gilley offers a sure way to proceed with new confidence in making decisions. I personally know people who, in exchanging Blackaby's teaching for the biblical teaching on what it means to be led by God, have experienced new freedom. Thanks to Gilley, more people will have that freedom. He has done a service to the body of Christ by plainly distinguishing what the Bible teaches from what we just thought it taught.

"Is That You Lord?" is written at about a 9th-grade level. A few spots might challenge you but most adults will have no trouble understanding it. At just 92 pages, this is a book you could get through in a couple of evenings, but you might not want to. Instead, slow down to digest, interact with, and test the material.

-by Shawn Meyer

Trying to figure out what God wants by going within yourself, going by hunches and intuition, or by having others prophesy over you will make you CRAZY. You will never be sure if you are making the right decision. Many people struggle with indecisiveness these days, mainly because we have so many choices, and because it's popular to seek the Lord for everything, what to wear, what to make for dinner, etc. This book will help you to study what God really says in his word about how to hear from him. I rarely give a book five stars, but this book is a winner. It is available from [...] for less money.

Many today feel that God speaks to them through dreams, inner voices, hunches and mysterious illumination apart from the inspired scriptures. This book is an excellent antidote to this type of subjectivism that has unfortunately washed over the world of Bible believers. Author Gary Gilley begins in chapter one by pointing out that historically the idea that God speaks to us today through our feelings has resulted in giving priority to individual experience over God's divine will as revealed in the scriptures. After several generations it brings on spiritual weakness and death. In subsequent chapters he points out the inherent inconsistencies that accompany the concept of modern revelation and examines texts that teach the sufficiency of the New Testament scriptures. He also fairly analyzes those used to promote the idea of modern day inner illumination.

Though short and readable, the book is well researched with numerous quotations and references. I highly recommend it.

I have read three books by Gary Gilley before this one: "This Little Church Went to Market," "This Little Church Stayed Home," and "This Little Church Had None." They were all excellent. I would have given each of them five stars. This book, however, was a huge disappointment.

People with the gift of discernment (as Gilley seems to have) tend to have a skeptical turn of mind. And surely we need to be skeptical about much that floats around in Christian circles today. But that skeptical turn of mind also makes them prone to anti-supernaturalism, as well. In a desire to guard us from extreme mysticism and from frivolous people who try to manipulate by claiming that "God told me to. . ." do this or that, Gilley over-reacts. We wind up with the god of deism, a god who set the world in order but now NEVER interacts with us subjectively. According to Gilley, we can know nothing for certain (such as whom to marry or whether to become a foreign missionary) unless we find it written in the Word of God. This is just plain contrary to the experience of countless believers and also, I believe, to the Word of God. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me" (John 10:27). And, He added, there will be other sheep in the future who hear His voice (John 10:16)--not just read His Word.

Granted, Christians have objective knowledge of salvation because they read and act upon what Scripture says. But that is also confirmed subjectively, experientially, by the Holy Spirit (I John 4:13). Romans 8:16 adds, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." What is that, if not subjective confirmation of our position before God, given by the Holy Spirit?

In dealing with verses that make his position awkward (as John 14:26 and John 16:12-14), Gilley is reduced to claiming that these verses do not apply to all believers, but only the apostles! (p. 49) Would he remove John 14:1-3 from that list too--spoken on the same occasion?

Faulty reasoning and arguments from negative evidence crop up in places. Gilley acknowledges that "we have numerous examples in the Word in which God specifically directed his people to take a course of action." (p. 37) The conclusion he draws? "The fact that a few individuals received direct guidance from God does not mean that such guidance was then, or is now, normative." But do all believers claim it is normative? Are we entitled to draw the opposite conclusion that today God NEVER speaks? Gilley states, "When God did speak in Scripture. . . he did so with audible words." (p. 32) How do we know that? It is impossible to prove and much argues against this.

True Christians love, cherish, study, and seek to obey the Word of God. While they need not agonize over the will of God in foolish and unscriptural ways, the presence of phonies, liars, and unstable people should not lead us to the opposite extreme of reducing Christianity to nothing more than a written contract between God and man. The very Greek word often employed for "knowing" God (ginosko) frequently implies personal, experiential knowing. This personal knowing is, in fact, the essence of true Christianity (John 17:3).

Gilley's conclusion? "If the Scriptures are adequate to equip us for EVERY good work, and if they are able to lead us to EVERYTHING pertaining to life and godliness, what else is needed?" (p. 91) My conclusion? Then, logically, neither do we need your book.